Pasta Carbonara is a classic Italian pasta dish made with guanciale – pork cheek – Pecorino Romano cheese, egg yolks or whole eggs, black pepper, and pasta…that’s it! I like to use whole pasture-raised eggs, avoiding waste and creating an even creamier and airy sauce. The key to my recipe is whipping the eggs until frothy and folding them in at the end.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Category

Category name

Serves

4 to 6

Substitute bacon if guanciale is unavailable.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces guanciale, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus additional for serving
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound bucatini or spaghetti
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Add the guanciale to a cold skillet. Set over medium-low heat and cook slowly to render the fat and crisp up the pieces. Using a slotted spoon remove the crispy guanciale to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the fat in the pan.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
  3. Separate the egg whites and yolks, each into a medium bowl. Mix the grated cheese into the yolks until a paste-like consistency. It will not be smooth. Add about a teaspoon of the rendered fat.
  4. Sprinkle a pinch of salt into the whites and whisk until light and frothy before they get to soft peaks.
  5. Add a generous pinch of salt to the boiling water (but not too much, the guanciale and the cheese are already salty). Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer’s instructions until 1 minute under al dente.
  6. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat from the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat, add some freshly ground black pepper and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the pasta, with a small ladle-full of pasta water, tossing well to coat. Turn off the heat and wait 1 minute, allowing the pasta to cool slightly to avoid coagulating the egg yolk mixture when added. Meanwhile, stir one ladle-full of pasta water into the egg yolk mixture, and then add to the pasta, stirring vigorously to form an emulsion and coat the pasta.  Gently fold in the egg whites until just combined.
  7. Divide the pasta among warm bowls, adding a little more of the sauce from the pan. Top with the crispy guanciale, some more grated cheese, and freshly ground black pepper.